Thank you Papa by Mansi Tyagi

“Congratulations” “ It’s a baby girl”….. wow wow wow Rahul was unable to express his happiness on becoming a proud father after 8yrs of their marriage. He started to bounce like a ball in the whole hospital screaming to everyone “I am a Papa now”. Happiness can’t be measured and sometimes we can not even express it the way we want to. So many thoughts go on in our mind and heart but when it comes to expressing them, we fall short of emotions.

That moment came when the nurse came out telling his whole family that now they can see the baby and mother both. Rahul and his entire family went inside room number 206 where Riya was lying with a big smile on her face despite of all the pain she has gone through. It’s said and proven that all your pain vanishes when u deliver your baby and then, starts the journey of your Motherhood.

Rahul took the baby from the cradle who was wrapped in a pink colour blanket he kept on looking at her and he forgot everything at that moment. Tears rolled down his eyes and he kissed on her forehead, then he looked towards Riya and said “Hamari Beti”. They both were feeling on cloud nine at that moment. Rahul’s mother came and took the baby from him saying “Dadi ko bhi to dekhne do”

And then she said – are iska to rang kala hai. Rahul was stunned listening to this. He took the baby from his mother and looks towards everyone and said She is our “ Kajal”. Everyone clapped in the room as the baby naming ceremony was done there. Next day Riya was discharged from the hospital and time has come to go to home. Rahul was super excited to take them both home. Riya was having mixed emotions seeing Rahul and his gestures she never expected that the man who never showed her that he needs a baby is holding so much emotions and love inside him. They both got married 8yrs ago in Delhi. Rahul was working with a Law firm and Riya was running her aerobics classes. Life was going smooth when Riya felt the need of having a baby. They went to many Gynaecologist but all went in vain. Rahul told Riya we are happy together I can’t see you troubling yourself more let’s be happy with each other. But somewhere that motherly nature in Riya was not letting her sit peacefully and she tried everything every temple , every saint wherever her mother in law took her listening to  others.

Aah ! our Indian society. Won’t let you to stop.

Finally her prayers were answered and today she is holding her baby. The only thing which went wrong in all this was that Dr’s told Rahul that Riya won’t be able to conceive for the second time. For Rahul it was never a matter. Riya and her in laws were little disheartened, but after Kajal came all were happy. As soon as the car stopped in front of their Bungalow Riya heard light music sounds. Rahul opened the car door for her and she stepped on flowers, she was amazed to see the whole bungalow decorated beautifully with Pink as its main colour theme and all the guest were waiting there to welcome Riya and Kajal. After all the rituals were over, all went inside the hall suddenly some aunt came and said “Naam sahi rakha hai kali hi hai bahut, another one added dekho iski naak bhi thodi ajeeb si hai na”. Riya looked towards her mother and mother in law with a worried face as she was a beautiful lady herself. They both came closer to her and said “ Tu chinta mat kar hum na kuch na kuch laga ke iska rang saaf karenge. Another aunt came stating – Ek maharaj hai wo rang gora kar sakte hain. And like this many comments were passed and all this took Rahul to his college days.

Rahul was dark lean guy because of which he faced many comments since his childhood. They were twins. His brother was very fair and not lean like Rahul. Every moment crossed Rahul’s eyes how the comparison started from home itself and it continued in school and then in college for his colour for his body for his looks. Rahul somehow was going in to depression while doing his LLB when his friend Arun and Deepak helped him to come out of this. The three of them were childhood buddies. Arun was the smartest among the three. Deepak was dark, short, fat with chicken pox marks on his face. But he was a very lively person and seeing him Rahul always got inspired. He always said “why should we think what others are saying , “our body is God’s gift to us “ we should love ourselves the way we are and these lines hit Rahul so much that since that day he stopped listening to anything about himself. It was the final exam of their last semester when Deepak came to Rahul while he was sitting on the roof top oh his PG and studying. Weather was very pleasant cool breeze was flowing and moon was shining bright in the sky. Rahul asked Deepak what happened you are smiling and hiding something. Meanwhile Arun also joined them and Deepak told them tomorrow after the exam he will propose Prerna their classmate for marriage. He told them that he has decided to open his own Law firm where he and Prerna will work together. All three friends screamed in joy and danced and then started planning about Deepak and Prerna weeding.

“We all are so sure about our things that we decide and dream of a future which we are not even aware of”

It was 2:00pm when the exam was completed, Rahul and Ajay walked out of the room searching for Deepak. Then they thought he would have gone to meet Prerna without them as he has told them a night before. At 5 in the evening Rahul’s phone rang. He was packing things to go home he missed the call thinking it as an unknown number which will disturb his packing .Suddenly Arun came to his room running like a storm shouting his name. He held his hand and said we have to go to Hospital. Rahul was shocked and asked why what happened I have a taxi standing out to go back to home. Arun didn’t listen to Rahul and dragged him towards his bike where other fellow mates were waiting for them. Rahul sat on the bike and seeing everyone’s face kept quiet praying all should be fine inside his heart. They reached the Hospital and Rahul was shocked to see Deepak’s parents there sitting and crying. Arun took Rahul inside the room and he was taken aback seeing Deepak lying on the bed full of machines.

Deepak committed suicide. Prerna rejected his proposal. But everyone knows Deepak was not a kind of person who will die for rejection. Later Prerna and her friends accepted in front of everyone that when Deepak came to meet Prerna they made fun of him and body shamed him. Deepak was deeply hurt and same moment he jumped from the roof top of the examination college.

“Are hum kale hain to kya hua song was played in the hall and Rahul screamed “STOP IT” everyone was shocked at this reaction. Rahul looked towards Riya in a displease way. He took Kajal from her hand and said – “ Stop making comments on colour, body parts, intelligence, please Stop it” She is my Pride and I won’t let anyone hurt my daughter the way I was hurt by comparison. She is extremely beautiful for me and no one has the right to comment on her or on anyone on this earth. U guys make fun and then leave have you ever thought how much it hurts the other person. Can you even imagine ? No? because you think you all are perfect and have full right to judge anyone.

“ Meri Beti Mera abhimaan hai. She is black or white , she is lean or fat , her eyes are small or big nothing matters. The only thing that matters is She is God’s gift to me and my family. She is mine. She is my Pride, She is my KAJAL”

 Riya understood Rahul’s pain she came closer to him and looked with a teary eye towards him and held his shoulder. Everyone one was quiet and then Rahul’s Father clapped and said I am proud of you my son you did what I was not able to do for you’.

Everyone clapped and Rahul was busy in seeing her little one smiling and seeing him as if she was saying “Thank you PAPA”.

Body shaming is something which Men and Women both have to go through which starts from our home knowingly or unknowingly. Colour, height, weight, intelligence, size, and any parameter which people want they start comparing. It’s time we should stop all this. We all are God’s creature. We all are beautiful and successful and talented in our own ways. Stop Body Shaming stop comparing.

Don’t mix Motivation with Body shaming both are completely different and we should know the difference.

          “Main Jaisi bhi hun achi hun, Main bhi usi khuda ki banayi bachi hun”

        “ Kyun rang mera dekha jata, Kyun mann nahi tumhe samajh ata”